In a first aspect, a first apparatus is provided for use in supporting a substrate carrier. The first apparatus includes an overhead transfer flange adapted to couple to a substrate carrier body and an overhead carrier support. The overhead transfer flange has a first side and a second side opposite the first side that is wider than the first side. Numerous other aspects are provided.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An overhead carrier support adapted to support a substrate carrier having an overhead transfer flange, the overhead carrier support comprising: a support plate including a top and bottom surface; at least one coupling clamp fixed to the support plate and extending upwardly from the top surface, the at least one coupling clamp adapted to couple the overhead carrier support to a moveable track of an overhead transfer conveyor; a first side; a second side opposite the first side; a first blade receiver fixed below the support plate and including an upward facing groove, the first blade receiver and the upward facing groove further extending along the first side and adapted to receive a downwardly extending first blade of the overhead transfer flange of a substrate carrier; and a second blade receiver fixed below the support plate and including an upward facing groove, the second blade receiver and the upward facing groove further extending along the second side and adapted to receive a downwardly extending second blade of the overhead transfer flange of a substrate carrier; wherein the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver are angled at a third angle relative to each other such that the first blade receiver is oriented non-parallel to the second blade receiver and are adapted to allow a blade edge of the first blade and a blade edge of the second blade of the overhead transfer flange to settle into the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver, respectively, by a force of gravity.
2. The overhead carrier support of claim 1 wherein the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver are oriented at substantially equivalent angles to a centerplane of the overhead carrier support.
3. The overhead carrier support of claim 1 further comprising a flexible hanger fixed to the overhead carrier support, the flexible hanger extending from the upper surface of the support plate and adapted to provide further support for the overhead carrier support along the moveable track of the overhead transfer convey or.
4. The overhead carrier support of claim 1 further comprising an angle of about 10 degrees to about 60 degrees formed inbetween the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver.
5. The overhead carrier support of claim 1 wherein the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver are integrally formed with the support plate.
6. The overhead carrier support of claim 1 wherein the overhead carrier support further comprises: a third side extending between the first side and second side; and a fourth side extending between the first side and second side, the fourth side further being opposite the third side and the fourth side wider than the third side.
7. The overhead carrier support of claim 1 wherein the first blade receiver further includes a first receiving surface and a second receiving surface wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and second receiving surface is adapted to support the first blade.
8. The overhead carrier support of claim 7 wherein the second blade receiver further has a first receiving surface and a second receiving surface wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to support the second blade.
9. The overhead carrier support of claim 8 wherein the first surface and second surface of the first blade receiver form the upward facing groove, and the first surface and second surface of the second blade receiver form the upward facing groove.
10. A system adapted to support a substrate carrier on an overhead transfer conveyor comprising: an overhead carrier support adapted to couple to an overhead transfer flange of the substrate carrier and to the overhead transfer conveyor, the overhead carrier support further comprising: a support plate including a top and bottom surface; a first side; a second side opposite the first side; a first blade receiver fixed below the support plate and including an upward facing groove, the first blade receiver and the upward facing groove further extending along the first side, the first blade receiver adapted to receive a first blade of the overhead transfer flange; and a second blade receiver fixed below the support plate and including an upward facing groove, the second blade receiver and the upward facing groove further extending along the second side and adapted to receive a second blade of the overhead transfer flange; wherein the first blade receiver and second blade receiver are angled at a third angle relative to each other such that the first blade receiver is oriented nonparallel to the second blade receiver; and wherein the first blade receiver and second blade receiver are adapted to allow a blade edge of the first blade and second blade of the overhead transfer flange to settle into the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver, respectively, by a force of gravity.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first blade receiver further comprises a first receiving surface and a second receiving surface.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first receiving surface of the first blade receiver is inclined at an angle of between about 25 degrees and about 30 degrees to a vertical plane that coincides with a centerplane of the overhead carrier support.
13. The system of claim 11 wherein the second receiving surface of the first blade receiver is inclined at an angle of between about 25 degrees and about 30 degrees to a vertical plane that coincides with a centerplane of the overhead carrier support.
14. The system of claim 10 wherein the second blade receiver further comprises a first receiving surface and a second receiving surface.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein the first receiving surface of the second blade receiver is inclined at an angle of between about 25 degrees and about 30 degrees to a vertical plane that coincides with a centerplane of the overhead carrier support.
16. The system of claim 14 wherein the second receiving surface of the second blade receiver is inclined at an angle of between about 25 degrees and about 30 degrees to a vertical plane that coincides with a centerplane of the overhead carrier support.
17. The system of claim 10 wherein the overhead transfer flange further comprises a first blade and second blade adapted to mate with the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver of the overhead carrier support such that lateral motion of the overhead transfer flange relative to the overhead carrier support is restricted.
18. A system adapted to support a substrate carrier on an overhead transfer conveyor comprising: an overhead carrier support adapted to couple to an overhead transfer flange of the substrate carrier and to the overhead transfer conveyor, the overhead carrier support further comprising: a support plate including a top and bottom surface; a coupling clamp fixed to the support plate and extending upwardly from the top surface, the at least one coupling clamp adapted to couple the overhead carrier support to a moveable track of an overhead transfer conveyor; a first side; a second side opposite the first side; a first blade receiver fixed below the support plate and extending along the first side, the first blade receiver adapted to receive a first blade of the overhead transfer flange, the first blade receiver including a first receiving surface and a second receiving surface forming an upward facing groove, wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to support the first blade and further wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to slidably communicate with a blade edge of the first blade of the overhead transfer flange; and a second blade receiver fixed below the support plate and extending along the second side and adapted to receive a second blade of the overhead transfer flange the second blade receiver further including a first receiving surface and second receiving surface forming an upward facing groove wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to support the second blade and further wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to slidably communicate with a blade edge of the second blade of the overhead transfer flange; wherein the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver are angled at a third angle relative to each other such that the first blade receiver is oriented nonparallel to the second blade receiver; and wherein the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver are adapted to allow the blade edge of the first blade and a blade edge of the second blade of the overhead transfer flange to settle into the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver, respectively, by a force of gravity.
19. A system adapted to support a substrate carrier on an overhead transfer conveyor comprising: an overhead carrier support adapted to couple to an overhead transfer flange of the substrate carrier and to the overhead transfer conveyor, the overhead carrier support further comprising: a support plate including a top and bottom surface; a coupling clamp fixed to the support plate and extending upwardly from the top surface of the support plate, the coupling clamp adapted to couple the overhead carrier support to a moveable track of the overhead transfer conveyor; a flexible hanger fixed to the support plate and extending upwardly from the top surface of the support plate, the flexible hanger adapted to provide further support for the overhead carrier support along the moveable track of the overhead transfer conveyor; a first side; a second side opposite the first side; a first blade receiver fixed below the support plate and including an upward facing groove, the first blade receiver and the upward facing groove further extending along the first side, the first blade receiver adapted to receive a first blade of the overhead transfer flange, the first blade receiver further including a first receiving surface and second receiving surface wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to support the first blade, and further wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to slidably communicate with a blade edge of the first blade, the first and second receiving surfaces forming a first vertex at an intersection between the first receiving surface and second receiving surface; and a second blade receiver fixed below the support plate and including an upward facing groove, the second blade receiver and the upward facing groove further extending along the second side and adapted to receive a second blade of the overhead transfer flange the second blade receiver further including a first receiving surface and a second receiving surface wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to support the second blade, and further wherein at least one of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface is adapted to slidably communicate with a blade edge of the second blade, the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface forming a second vertex at an intersection between the first receiving surface and second receiving surface; wherein the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver are angled at a third angle relative to each other such that the first blade receiver is oriented non-parallel to the second blade receiver; and wherein the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver are adapted to allow the blade edge of the first blade and a blade edge of the second blade of the overhead transfer flange to settle into the first blade receiver and the second blade receiver, respectively, by a force of the gravity.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 14, 2007
September 29, 2009
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